Minions review 23 June 2015 • 1:33pm The tiny Despicable Me henchmen deserve better than this fourth-rate spin-off We could argue about the artistic merits of the Despicable Me franchise until long past its target audience’s bedtime, but one thing is beyond question: it's seriously popular. The first film was released in the UK as an October half-term frolic but went on to play for three months, while the 2013 sequel, which was accorded a more prestigious June release, ran for six. In terms of looks and brains, the films had nothing on Pixar, but they shared two magic ingredients that helped make them endurable hits. One was a chart-friendly soul number from Pharrell Williams on the soundtrack (Happy, the theme from Despicable Me 2, went on to become the most-downloaded song in British chart history). And the other was the Minions: a horde of linguistically impaired, marzipan-coloured cylinder people in the service of the films’ nefarious anti-hero Gru, who provided a steady stream of slapstick relief.

The Minions go to England in the Despicable Me spin-off The appearance of a Minions-only spin-off film in the gap between the second and impending third Despicable Mes, therefore, makes perfect business sense: in fact, Penguins of Madagascar pulled a similar stunt only last December, with mostly successful results. But what’s surprising about Minions is that it squanders these yellow oddballs’ new-found freedom: in fact, it yokes them to a permanent supervillain gig almost as soon as it possibly can, as if directors Kyle Balda and Pierre Coffin and screenwriter Brian Lynch were terrified of skittering too far off-piste. Before it cops out, though, the film’s a delight. It opens with a hand-drawn prologue, in which we see the Minions evolving from a shoal of plankton-like parasites. As they scramble up the food-chain – in the wakes of progressively bigger and nastier boss fish, naturally – they finally bob to the ocean’s surface and, like a self-inflating life-raft, the film suddenly plumps out into rubbery CGI.

Then follows a string of miniature skits, in which the small yellow types serve various historical brutes, from Tyrannosaurus Rex to the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Frustratingly, what seems like the set-up for an internship with Richard Nixon (the Minions bob into New York Harbor in 1968, under a grinning poster of the US president) comes to nothing. Instead, three Minion emissaries, called Kevin, Bob and Stuart, make for a villain convention in Florida, where they throw in their lot with Scarlett Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock), a rising star on the bad-guy circuit. (Jon Hamm gives what will surely be the most negligible voice performance of the year as Herb, her husband-slash-kit man.) Super-villain Scarlett Overkill (voiced by Sandra Bullock) and the Minions And it’s here the film’s spark is snuffed out for good: the focus shifts to Scarlett’s convoluted plan to overthrow the Queen of England, and the film becomes a fourth-rate Despicable Me clone.

You sense a shuddering apprehension in every creative choice – as if one false move, or even an overly brazen one, would destabilise the formula. The Sixties setting, for instance, seems to have been chosen largely so the plot can dovetail with what we should probably now call The Despicable Me Expanded Universe, rather than for its unique look or specific comic potential. Most of the film could be taking place anywhere, and the period detail doesn’t extend much further than hippies, teapots and songs by Donovan and The Kinks – real souvenir-shop stuff. In the same way, there’s no attempt to give the Minions material that might better play to their preverbal, indestructible strengths. Had Balda and Coffin drawn inspiration from silent comedy – as Aardman Animations did for their intricately funny Shaun the Sheep movie – you suspect the film might have been better equipped to sustain the energy of those giddy early minutes. But instead, it soon becomes one barely choreographed, weightless action sequence flailing into the next. On paper, Minions adds up: as, no doubt, will its box-office takings.

But making films for a young audience isn’t – or at least shouldn’t be – the same thing as maths. Minions: watch the trailer Play! 02:44 Star Rating 2 Telegraph Star Rating News Competition 28 Apr 2016 News 27 Apr 2016 Minions - Official Trailer (HD) - Illumination - YouTube Minions - Official Trailer (HD) - Illumination Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Nov 3, 2014 Meet Stuart, Kevin and Bob as they embark on a journey for their new master in the Official Trailer for Minions. In Theaters July 10, 2015 SUBSCRIBE: About Minions: The story of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s Minions begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. After accidentally killing off so many of them—from T.

rex to Napoleon—the Minions find themselves without a master to serve and fall into a deep depression. But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he—alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob—ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow. The trio embarks upon an adventure that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award® winner Sandra Bullock), the world’s first-ever female super-villain. They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in mod London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind...from annihilation. Featuring a soundtrack of hit music from the ’60s that still permeates our culture today, Minions is produced by Illumination’s Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, and is directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda. Brian Lynch has written the screenplay for the 3D-CG comedy adventure, and Chris Renaud serves as executive producer of the film.

In Theaters - July 10, 2015 Cast: Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm Connect with Minions Online: Like Minions on FACEBOOK: Follow Minions on TWITTER: Follow Minions on INSTAGRAM: Visit the Minions WEBSITE: Connect with Illumination Entertainment Online: Like Illumination Entertainment on FACEBOOK: Visit the Illumination Entertainment WEBSITE: Minions - Official Trailer (HD) - Illumination Minions (2015) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error Watch Now From $2.99 (SD) on Amazon Video Minions Stuart, Kevin and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a super-villain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world.

Directors: a list of 22 titles created 24 Dec 2011 a list of 41 titles created 01 Jan 2015 a list of 49 titles created 23 May 2015 a list of 21 titles created 29 Dec 2015 a list of 33 titles created 3 weeks ago Search for " Minions " on Amazon.com Connect with IMDb Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win & 18 nominations. See more awards » Videos When Gru, the world's most super-bad turned super-dad has been recruited by a team of officials to stop lethal muscle and a host of Gru's own, He has to fight back with new gadgetry, cars, and more minion madness. Directors: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud Stars: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt When a criminal mastermind uses a trio of orphan girls as pawns for a grand scheme, he finds their love is profoundly changing him for the better.

Directors: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud Stars: Steve Carell, Jason Segel, Russell Brand Dracula and his friends try to bring out the monster in his half human, half vampire grandson in order to keep Mavis from leaving the hotel. Director: Genndy Tartakovsky An alien on the run from his own people makes friends with a girl. He tries to help her on her quest, but can be an interference. Director: Tim Johnson Dracula, who operates a high-end resort away from the human world, goes into overprotective mode when a boy discovers the resort and falls for the count's teen-aged daughter. Director: Genndy Tartakovsky The special bond that develops between plus-sized inflatable robot Baymax, and prodigy Hiro Hamada, who team up with a group of friends to form a band of high-tech heroes. Directors: Don Hall, Chris Williams Stars: Ryan Potter, Scott Adsit, Jamie Chung Manny, Diego, and Sid embark upon another adventure after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates as they explore a new world.

Directors: Steve Martino, Mike Thurmeier Stars: Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo A look at the relationship between Mike and Sulley during their days at Monsters University -- when they weren't necessarily the best of friends. Director: Dan Scanlon When Sid's attempt to adopt three dinosaur eggs gets him abducted by their real mother to an underground lost world, his friends attempt to rescue him. Directors: Carlos Saldanha, Mike Thurmeier Stars: Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary Po and his friends fight to stop a peacock villain from conquering China with a deadly new weapon, but first the Dragon Warrior must come to terms with his past. Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson The Dragon Warrior has to clash against the savage Tai Lung as China's fate hangs in the balance: However, the Dragon Warrior mantle is supposedly mistaken to be bestowed upon an obese panda who is a tyro in martial arts. Directors: Mark Osborne, John Stevenson Stars: Jack Black, Ian McShane, Angelina Jolie The animals try to fly back to New York City, but crash-land on an African wildlife refuge, where Alex is reunited with his parents.

Directors: Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath Stars: Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer Edit Storyline Ever since the dawn of time, the Minions have lived to serve the most despicable of masters. From T. rex to Napoleon, the easily distracted tribe has helped the biggest and the baddest of villains. Now, join protective leader Kevin, teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob on a global road trip where they'll earn a shot to work for a new boss-the world's first female super-villain-and try to save all of Minionkind...from annihilation. Written by Universal Pictures Go back to where it all began. See more » Genres: Rated PG for action and rude humor | See all certifications » Parents Guide: 10 July 2015 (USA) See more » Also Known As: $115,200,000 (USA) (10 July 2015) Gross: Did You Know? Trivia The carpet in the lab of Herb Overkill is the same as the carpet in the Overlook Hotel in The Shining (1980).

See more » Goofs The license plate numbers on both the hippie van and the car belonging to the lady playing "Vallkeries" are the same , and they are the only visible ones in the movie that are identical. See more » Quotes [from trailer] Minions : [as a primitive is about hit hit a bear with a club] No, no, no! Hey, a piñata! [the Minions cheered as the primitive hits the bear with a fly swatter, then the bear eats him alive as the Minions screamed in terror] See more » Crazy Credits There are various jokes with the Minions as the end-credits initially scroll, followed by an extended post-credits sequence in which Kevin, Stuart and Bob perform a version of The Beatles song "Revolution" and most of the characters from the movie re-appear. See more » Connections We Wish You A Merry Christmas Traditional (India) – See all my reviews Having read bad reviews I went with low expectations. But as the movie started my laughter overshadowed my expectations. Kevin, Stuart and Bob go on a journey to find a super villain to be their tribe's boss.

Yes, the story was predictable and it may not have been as good as Despicable me 1 and 2 but to be honest it really didn't matter. It was amazingly funny and there was not a single moment in which I got bored. Also the jokes were not at all kiddish and would make a person of any age laugh. 3D was also pretty good. So i would recommend you to leave the serious part of your brain at your house and watch this hilarious and light hearted movie of the adorable minions. P.S If you haven't watched the trailer, don't.You will enjoy the movie much more. 54 of 104 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes Watch: First Trailer For The ‘Despicable Me’ Spin-Off ‘Minions’ | IndieWire Watch: First Trailer For The ‘Despicable Me’ Spin-Off ‘Minions’ Watch: First Trailer For The 'Despicable Me' Spin-Off ‘Minions’ Nov 3, 2014 8:43 pm Share This Article Talk Universal‘s "Despicable Me" franchise did very well ($543 million worldwide).

Its sequel, "Despicable Me 2," did gangbusters numbers, just $30 million shy of hitting the vaunted $1 billion mark, making for the third highest grossing animated film of all time behind “Frozen” and “Toy Story 3.” What’s a studio to do? Milk that cow as much as you can. And while “Despicable Me 3,” doesn’t arrive in theaters until June 30, 2017, that’s ok, that’s what spin-off films are for. “ Minions ” is arriving next summer. The first trailer for the film has arrived and it’s more of the same, but for Universal, shit ain’t broke so they’re not going to mess with the formula too much. Here’s the official synopsis The story of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s Minions begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. Continuously unsuccessful at keeping these masters—from T. rex to Napoleon—the Minions find themselves without someone to serve and fall into a deep depression.

But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he—alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob—ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow. The trio embarks upon a thrilling journey that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award® winner Sandra Bullock ), the world’s first-ever female super-villain. They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in mod London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind…from annihilation. "Minions" is directed by Pierre Coffin and features the voice work of Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm Michael Keaton, Steve Coogan and Allison Janney. The movie isn’t due in theaters until July 10, 2015, but you can get a taste with the new trailer below.

Pierre Coffin: Me and my Minions | Life and style | The Guardian Family Pierre Coffin: Me and my Minions Nick McGrath meets Pierre Coffin, familiar to film-lovers as the voice (and creator) of Despicable Me’s Minions Pierre Coffin: ‘My father and I are not getting along that well because he’s got that little resentment about him being wrong and not admitting it.’ Photograph: Patrick Swirc/modds/Camera Press Friday 26 June 2015 09.00 EDT Last modified on Tuesday 20 September 2016 05.43 EDT Share on Messenger Close A ramshackle band of capsule-shaped, banana-yellow incompetents babbling like an unruly congregation of helium-sucking Esperanto-speakers don’t seem like your average celluloid heroes. Cheeky, adorably over-excitable slapstick mischief magnets, Minions are also big business, with the first two films in the animated franchise – Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2 – spawning a swathe of hugely profitable computer games, apps, books and theme-park rides, not to mention an avalanche of DayGlo merchandise.

Despite the roll of A-list actors bringing the supporting cast to life, the most resonant voice in what might be 2015’s most popular multi-generational film, belongs to an anonymous 47-year-old father of two who can’t quite believe his luck. Pierre Coffin, a Frenchman who co-directed the first two films in the series and the new film, Minions , also voices the films’ three main protagonists: golf-loving, spiky-haired leader Kevin, one-eyed dreamer Stuart and infantile balding rock god wannabe Bob; plus several hundred other yellow henchmen, collectively intent on chaotically serving the planet’s baddest baddies. But the characters started life as anything but loveable. “The Minions came about by complete accident,” says Coffin, who is half French, half Indonesian, as he expertly doodles a thumbnail cartoon on my own children’s attempts at Minion art. “In the first film, they were depicted as this big army of muscular thugs doing the dirty work of the arch villain Gru and we quickly realised that they were very unappealing and made Gru a totally unsympathetic anti-hero.

“To make him charming, we had this idea that he’d know all of his little helpers by their forenames, even though there were hundreds, and suddenly Gru was sympathetic. We then put goggles on them, added workers’ overalls, making them look like these subterranean mole men-type creatures, gave them an increasingly saturated yellow skin tone and then they became the Minions. And from that first scene we knew they gave the other characters counter-balance, had great comedic potential and were super cute.” Visually compelling, the Minions’ other trump card is the torrent of high-octane, seemingly multi-lingual drivel that somehow succeeds in expressing their uncomplicated intentions. “It’s gibberish,” confirms Coffin. “It’s a mixture of all the languages of the world and it’s about finding a particular magical rhythm and melody that makes the nonsense make sense. Pinterest Watch the trailer for Minions “If I need to evoke something specific, I might search the internet for a particular word from a particular language like, for instance, something Dutch for an argument as it’s quite guttural.

But without the visuals, the words are meaningless.” Coffin’s personal journey is almost as circuitous as the Minions’ time-travelling quest to find their rightful place in their fictional world. Born in France to Yves Coffin, a French diplomat, and his mother, Nh Dini, an Indonesian novelist, Pierre’s childhood was spent travelling back and forth across Asia. With his sister, Marie-Claire, the family lived in Cambodia and Japan before settling in a Parisian suburb in the 1970s. There his father’s ban on them watching television meant that reading, drawing and storytelling became his creative escape. “My dad said watching TV was too passive and didn’t make you think, so I found this other side. I needed some sort of distraction, so I drew a lot, I read a lot and I listened to a lot of music, but I never considered a career in the arts. “I was surrounded by people who were better than me but that gave me inspiration to find out how they did it better. I loved drawing but I just couldn’t do it to the level that some of my friends could.

That pulled me up unconsciously because I wanted to be like them and I wanted to draw.” Coffin’s strait-laced parents were also less than instrumental in inspiring or encouraging their son’s always good-humoured creative endeavours. “A diplomat isn’t like a really funny guy and my mom’s stories are biographies, mostly about how she used to live in Indonesia during the Dutch colonies, so it wasn’t really fun. I have no clue where that humorous gene comes from, but France does have a culture of cartoons. “There are great comic books, these great geniuses that manage to tell you a story in one frame and that became the thing that opened my eyes. “How can you tell a story with one frame that by its simplicity, manages to tell a story, a gag that evokes an emotion in you? That became my motto throughout all my life. Simplicity. And the success of the Minions is not particularly the voice, it’s not particularly their characterisation, it’s the fact that anybody can draw them.” Coffin’s own children, his eight-year-old son, Noe, and daughter Julie, 11, don’t appear in the film but their influence pervades the action.

“It’s unconscious but when I see the movie I see my little girl in there,” says Coffin, who trained at the Gobelins animation school in Paris before cutting his teeth in 1993 on Steven Spielberg’s We’re Back! A Dinosaur’s Story. “And with Stuart, who is a little grumpy and sarcastic like me, I also see my little boy, who is becoming a teen, so I see those traits appearing dangerously in him.” Gru and two minions in a scene from Despicable Me 2, also co-directed by Pierre Coffin Photograph: Moviestore/REX Coffin’s children also provide a handy barometer for what works and what doesn’t. “Every time I work on a scene or I work on the overall movie, I had my kids unconsciously in mind. Is that going to please them? Is it going to be funny for them? And if it is funny for them, is it going to be funny for their friends and their friends’ friends? I show them pretty much everything before it gets anywhere near the final cut so they also get to see all the sucky stuff I miserably fail on and the stuff I have doubts on.

“If it’s meant to be provoking some kind of a comedic reaction and if it fails then you say, ‘OK, back to the drawing board.’ “I totally trust their judgment and I suppose I use them in quite a sneaky way to try to get the truth out of them because my theory is that if you put kids in front of a movie or a TV series, they have a tendency to gullibly like everything and if they don’t like it, it’s only a sort of mild dislike. They’re not going to hate it; they’re just going to say it was good. It’s a subtle difference but if that’s the case you can tell something’s not quite right.” With Despicable Me 3 set for a 2017 release and Coffin again directing, the unstoppable rise of yellow fever shows little sign of waning, but resistance does exist in the shape of Coffin’s truculent father. “My mum had the life of an artist so I’m living her dream a little bit and she’s super proud of me, but my father, who is nearly 90, it’s fair to say he’s not really embracing my success. “This is not serious for him.

As soon as I started saying, ‘I really want to make movies,’ I’m not going to say he never helped me, but he never encouraged me to do this. “We’re not getting along that well because he’s got that little resentment about him being wrong and not admitting it. So it’s very tricky. He always has this idea of me working in show business meaning that I’m strange. He never wanted me to do this. He wanted me to have a serious job.” Fortunately for millions of movie fans around the world, Pierre decided to draw his own conclusion. • Minions is on general release Minions, explained - Vox Minions, explained share You've probably heard of Minions, or maybe you've just seen their bright yellow likeness on a T-shirt, meme, or bumper sticker. Perhaps you've already decided whether you love them, hate them, or simply find them baffling, as they've been known to inspire quite a range of emotions in all who encounter them. But no matter what you think about the curious pill-shaped creatures, their fame is about to rise thanks to their starring role in the new movie Minions , now in theaters.

Minions is a spinoff and prequel to Despicable Me and Despicable Me 2 , but instead of focusing on Steve Carell 's Gru, it puts the spotlight on the Minions alone. Set in the late 1960s, the movie follows three Minions as they search for a new evil boss to rule their species. The quest takes them to a villain convention in Florida and, soon after, all around the world. Of course, as with all great things in history, the existence of Minions prompts big questions: Where did these strange beings come from? Why do they inspire such polarizing reactions? And is there any deeper meaning to these unusual yellow creatures? 1) What are Minions? So many Minions, so little time. Universal Minions are a species of tiny yellow henchmen; they look like unusually dressed Mike and Ike candies. They're earnestly driven by the desire to serve an evil boss, though they often screw up because they're selfish, easily distracted, and generally inept. They vary in height, but it's safe to say they're between 2 and 3 feet tall (though closer to 2).

They communicate using a gibberish language that's understandable to them and a few people who have longstanding relationships with them. They're also resilient. Minions have been turned into evil purple versions of themselves, transformed into giants, crushed, tortured, and buried without being worse for wear (this may be the reason they've survived so long). Two Minions, one desire. Via Giphy They even have a few special abilities, like becoming glow sticks when they're snapped and shaken. Though it's often tough for the layperson to distinguish one Minion from another, they all have unique personalities and names (which their masters quickly learn). The new movie centers on three Minions — Kevin, Stuart, and Bob — who each become more distinct throughout the course of the film (or at least as distinct as gibberish-speaking henchmen can be). Kevin's the leader, Stuart's the musician, and Bob's the kid (he totes around a teddy bear that somehow makes him appear even more adorable — and, in an equally lovable detail, he's heterochromic ).

There are a few things we don't know about Minions that the new movie doesn't clarify: We don't know why they wear goggles, though they've done so for thousands of years (early goggles were fashioned from available flora). Relatedly, the evolutionary function of some Minions having one eye while others have two eyes remains unclear. We also don't know what compels them to serve evil people, though Minions implies it's an evolutionary imperative, similar to the parasitism seen in the natural world (but only the cute kind, suitable for a McDonald's toy ). 2) Where did Minions come from? Minions emerge from the sea, ready to bring joy to the world. IMDB The origin story of the Minions is dependent on two questions: 1) Where did the creatures themselves come from, and 2) where did the commercial phenomenon come from? First, let's tackle the little guys themselves. Minions sheds some light on their beginnings in an opening credits sequence that depicts them evolving in the ocean, similar to many other organisms, before emerging fully formed as they appear today (this is a departure from Darwin).

Though the supervillain Gru has a gun that can transform humans into Minions, it's only been seen in an amusement park ride, so most Minions presumably came from the sea. (If you're looking for more information about Minion reproduction, there's probably fan-fiction somewhere that can help you out, but you'll have to Google it on your own.) Minions have existed for at least 60 million years Geologically speaking, Minions depicts its subjects serving an evil dinosaur that appears to be a Tyrannosaurus rex , suggesting they've been around at least since the Late Cretaceous Period . That means they've existed for at least 60 million years, making them one of the oldest surviving complex organisms on the planet. Throughout history, they've served different masters including ancient Egyptians and vampires. As movie characters, Minions are a little fresher than the Late Cretaceous: They made their big-screen debut in 2010's Despicable Me , the first computer-animated film in the burgeoning franchise. While it's clear the Minions were supposed to play second fiddle to Gru, it's safe to say they stole the show.

Thus, when 2013's Despicable Me 2 — whose marketing material featured Minions even more prominently — became a hit, a Minions-centric spinoff film was an obvious next step. Though Minions features Sandra Bullock and Jon Hamm voicing human villains, the Minions are the stars. 3) Who voices the Minions? Pierre Coffin (left) and Chris Renaud stand next to a Minion. Mark Davis/ Getty Images The lovable weirdos' unique chatter has always been part of their appeal. Minions "speak" in cute, high-pitched (possibly artificially), and emotive tones; they're voiced by Despicable Me and Minions co-directors Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud . Coffin and Renaud also steered the Minions' character design, and they may have been inspired by the Jawas in Star Wars or the Oompa Loompas in Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. We don't know for certain how the Minions' voices are produced, but it's reasonable to assume they are the result of some form of pitch modulation.

Some YouTubers who've made a habit of speculating on the Minions' voices have even experimented with their own hacks to achieve a similar effect. 4) What language do Minions speak? Coffin has said the Minions speak a gibberish language that he spontaneously invents (albeit one that is infused with the occasional real word or phrase borrowed from a real language). In 2013, the Grammar Girl investigated some rumors about Minions linguistics and confirmed this claim. The Minions' native language is part of their unique appeal. Because the Minions already feel so ubiquitous, it's hard to remember just how audacious it is that one of the largest kids' movies of this summer is, for all intents and purposes, a foreign language film. The production company behind Minions, Illumination Entertainment , has successfully tackled a brand new challenge.

While its competitor Pixar makes movies about toys that speak English, fish that speak English, cars that speak English, monsters that speak English, dogs that speak English, French rats that speak English, volcanoes that speak (or, rather, sing in) English , and feelings that speak English , Illumination has produced a non-subtitled film about a species that does NOT speak English, relying on animation to make it all work. 5) What do the Minions want out of life? Minions are always ready to serve an evil boss. IMDB So what drives the Minions? Are they evil? Minions reveals that the Minions become listless after too much time without a master to serve (since the movie occurs before they meet Gru, it's the catalyst that sends them searching for a new villain). Despite constructing a magical underground ice lair — complete with sports and musical productions — they sank into ennui without a boss to tell them what to do. Over time, their daily routine broke down without an outside force to control their chaos. Seeing Minions bored turns out to be just as funny as seeing them hyper — it's like seeing the aftermath of a particularly long sugar rush.

It's not so much evil that motivates the Minions as it is obedience: Ultimately, they just want to help someone who is evil and, if necessary, they're happy to be a party to that evil. They're so dedicated to the cause that at the outset of Minions, they even attend a villain convention (Villain-Con) in search of a new boss. But the sense of purpose they develop is external to them — only someone like Gru or Scarlet Overkill (Bullock), the new leader they meet at Villain-Con, can help shape their days and assign meaning to their lives. 6) Why are Minions so popular? Minions for sale. Alberto E. Rodriguez/ Getty Images for City Year Los Angeles Figuring out why the Minions took hold is as difficult a task as determining the cause of any cultural phenomenon; if we knew how to do it, Hollywood would have a lot more hits on its hands. Still, we can make a few guesses. Aside from their infectious humor, Minions are uniquely suited to an internet age. They're meme-able, GIF-able, and lovable in bite-size portions.

It doesn't take a 90-minute movie to understand their appeal of the Minions. Four-second clips can be enough to help them shine. One of the countless Minions GIFs that populate the internet. That portability extends to their merchandising opportunities. It's easy to put a Minion on a T-shirt or commemorative cup. It's even easier to sell a plush toy. That's made Minions ubiquitous — which some people don't like. 7) Why do some people hate Minions? Minions are like cilantro — some people think it's a great flavor, and others think it tastes like soap . Widespread dislike of Minions is well-documented, everywhere from Facebook pages to BuzzFeed . Brian Feldman, writing at the Awl , makes a compelling argument for hating the Minions because their pop cultural ubiquity makes them meaningless. It's kind of like how every time a Rolling Stones song is used to promote an operating system, it becomes harder to love "Start Me Up"; every time a Minion appears next to a treacly homemade meme about friendship, it gets a little harder to love them: Minions quotes are big business.

MinionQuote This feeling may be compounded by the fact that there are few critical defenses of the Minions — it's simply not cool to like them. For example, critics are happy to wax rhapsodic about less-famous stop-motion Aardman movies , which never sully their artistry by actually being funny (yes, Aardman fans, it's true — to some people, Aardman tastes like soap), but the same cannot be said for Minions. What's more, it's difficult to pull out the same bromides for Minions that work for other types of animation — can you compare a Minion to the "madcap poetry of Buster Keaton" or the "zany pop imagery of Chuck Jones" when they're such a unique comic invention (and multimillion-dollar megabrand)? The Minions also don't have much of an emotional arc or, really, a plot arc in any of their films, including their new starring vehicle. While in Minions the title characters enjoy a bunch of back-and-forth with Scarlet Overkill, set out on a quest to steal the queen's crown, and indulge in a few more globe-hopping adventures, none of it really matters.

If you're looking for tight, structured screenwriting, it might bother you that Minions' plot is entirely replaceable. In short, Minions don't have epiphanies or politics. They just have fun. 8) Why do some people love Minions? Happy Minions are some of the best Minions. Via Giphy People love the Minions for a lot of reasons, but there's something deep at the core of their appeal. That's why some moviegoers — including me — would've been happy to discard most of the plot points in Despicable Me if it meant spending more time with the Minions (which Minions largely does). Minions are pure id and pure joy At their best, the Minions are a unique depiction of children. In Pixar's films, kids have been portrayed as sturdily realistic, with even the most cartoonish characters getting an emotional arc ( Inside Out 's Riley is more complex than the characters in most novels, and even Up's more caricatured Russell has a lot of heart). The appeal of Pixar movies is, in part, the recognition that children's emotional lives are as turbulent — and important — as those of adults.

The Minions go in another direction, abandoning the realism of Pixar in favor of a more expressionistic depiction of childhood. The Minions are the best and worst things about kids, painted in the brightest colors: They're pure id, and they're also pure joy. They're prone to distraction, but they're unceasingly devoted. The can be selfish, but also willing to work together toward a common goal. They're hilarious, infuriating, and wonderful all at once, just like kids. And that may be the reason kids like them, too. Kids recognize, in themselves, the silliness of the Minions, and they can love them and laugh at them simultaneously. Minions also speaks to kids' unspoken wishes; I don't know many children who wouldn't want to have an underground lair packed with other kids, but they'd still yearn for structure to keep things from getting boring. The Minions are funny because they tap into a feeling that's profoundly true, and even human. They just so happen to do so by imitating ambulance sirens, kissing fire hydrants, and repeatedly hitting each other over the head. 9) Why do Minions love bananas? Because bananas are delicious. It's that simple.

Minions is in theaters now. Was this article helpful? 10 Things You Didn't Know About The "Minions" - YouTube 10 Things You Didn't Know About The "Minions" Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jul 2, 2015 10 Things You Didn't Know About The "Minions" "Minions" are small, yellow pill-like creatures who have existed since the beginning of time, evolving from single-celled organisms into beings who have only one purpose: to serve history's most despicable masters. ▶ Share on Facebook - SUBSCRIBE: "Minions" is a 2015 American 3D computer-animated slapstick comedy film and a prequel/spin-off to the "Despicable Me" franchise. Produced by Illumination Entertainment for Universal Pictures, the film was written by Brian Lynch, directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda, and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy.

The film stars Pierre Coffin (as the Minions), Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney, Steve Coogan, and Geoffrey Rush. The film premiered on June 11, 2015, in London, and is scheduled to be released in the United States on July 10, 2015. The film was first foreshadowed in the ending credits of Despicable Me 2, where Stuart, Kevin, and Bob, three of the Minions, are seen auditioning for the film. About Minions: The story of Universal Pictures and Illumination Entertainment’s Minions begins at the dawn of time. Starting as single-celled yellow organisms, Minions evolve through the ages, perpetually serving the most despicable of masters. After accidentally killing off so many of them—from T. rex to Napoleon—the Minions find themselves without a master to serve and fall into a deep depression. But one Minion named Kevin has a plan, and he—alongside teenage rebel Stuart and lovable little Bob—ventures out into the world to find a new evil boss for his brethren to follow.

The trio embarks upon an adventure that ultimately leads them to their next potential master, Scarlet Overkill (Academy Award® winner Sandra Bullock), the world’s first-ever female super-villain. They travel from frigid Antarctica to 1960s New York City, ending in mod London, where they must face their biggest challenge to date: saving all of Minionkind...from annihilation. Featuring a soundtrack of hit music from the ’60s that still permeates our culture today, Minions is produced by Illumination’s Chris Meledandri and Janet Healy, and is directed by Pierre Coffin and Kyle Balda. Brian Lynch has written the screenplay for the 3D-CG comedy adventure, and Chris Renaud serves as executive producer of the film. In Theaters - July 10, 2015 Cast: Sandra Bullock, Jon Hamm, Michael Keaton, Allison Janney & Steve Coogan Learn more about the "Minions" Dave | Despicable Me Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Dave is a two-eyed and medium-sized minion with nice combed hair. Personality Dave is an intelligent minion who is kind, caring, and funny, but sometimes accident prone.

He is skillful at video games like his friend Stuart , shown when the two are playing on a Playstation. Dave likes ice cream as shown when Gru calls him and Stuart while they are having an Ice Cream Party, he's still eating Ice Cream before he goes to Gru. He is always very excited as seen when he fired his Rocket Launcher , his signature weapon. He is also good at using weapons and making cupcakes and other foods. Plot Despicable Me Goodnight Kisses Dave is present when Gru is telling the minions of his next great plan. Before Gru can tell the Minions what they are going to steal, they whip out their weapons, including Dave who arms himself with a rocket launcher , which he then fires into a group of Minions . After scolded by Gru, Dave says "Ditto!" for apology. One of the minions walks over to Dave while Gru is telling him to stop and punches him in the shoulder for payback. Later that night, he asks Gru for goodnight kisses for him and the minions. He is the first one to be kissed by Gru. After he is kissed by Gru he comes back and cut in line.

However, Gru recognizes him and asks "Didn't I get you already?". Dave gets hit at the back of the head by a fat minion. Despicable Me 2 Dave, Stuart and Tim are in a cupcake shop in the Paradise Shopping Mall along with Gru who works undercover as the owner of the shop with Lucy being assigned as his partner. Dave has a crush for her. His first introduction with Lucy starts when he show his cupcake, which she kicks into the air and smashes it onto the bench. Directly after Lucy crushed the cupcake, she then grabs Dave and pin him against the bench – ready to hit him. After Lucy learns that Dave works for Gru, she tells Dave he's free to go. Dave starts to walk away, but before that he looks up to Lucy and starts daydreaming about dating her, leaving him air kissing. When Gru and Lucy are having their first mission Dave is waiting by the car outside together with Stuart. Later, he is having an Ice Cream Party with Stuart , Jerry , Carl , and Kevin . Gru interrupts the party and asks Kevin and Jerry to watch the girls, while he asks Dave and Stuart to follow him.

When Dave gets the call from Gru to rescue him and Lucy, Dave starts acting right away. Crashes through the malls entrance (Dave is the one steering the car and Stuart pushing the accelerator), Dave and Stuart miss to pull over for Gru and Lucy twice. Before Eduardo can catch them, Dave and Stuart knock him out with the car. Lucy opens the car door and is greeted by Dave and Stuart (who seems to have a crush on her as well, shown when he pushes the accelerator). Dave and Stuart Disguised as Evil Minions After Dr. Nefario tells Gru that Eduardo has kidnapped Lucy, Gru picks Stuart and Dave – who are at the middle of a video game – to follow him to rescue Lucy. As a disguise, Dave and Stuart are painted purple, in order to fit in with the crowd of mutated Minions. Dave figures out how to communicate with them, though it all ends in him ruining his disguise and Gru's plan for rescuing Lucy. The trio were forced to run for their lives, eventually cornered at one of the estate's turrets. Thankfully, Dr.

Nefario, the girls and the un-mutated minions turn up in the airship and fire a PX-41 antidote-laced jelly at the mutated minions, reverting them back to normal. Minions Dave is a minor character in the film Minions . According to the screenplay written by Brian Lynch, while Kevin is away for searching a new boss, the minions play soccer desperately in Minion Ice Cave . Dave suddenly exclaims that he finds a new boss, Yetis , and the minions gather to take a look; Dave quites his tribe down so that the yeti can speak, though it just blows raspberry. Later, when the minions are driven by yetis, they are disoriented. A minion takes out a map but he doesn't know how to read it, so Dave grabs it and announces the direction to go. But suddenly a bear wakes up beneath the snowy land, so the minions begin to run in horror. According to the screenplay, the minion that answers the phone of Kevin from Scarlet's Plane is Dave, but it's inconsistent because that minion is one-eyed. Quotes "Ditto." - As an expression of shame.

(Despicable Me and Minion Rush) "Voilà!" - Dave showing his minion cupcake to Lucy and Gru. (Despicable Me 2) Other Appearances Orientation Day He was one of the newbie minions to become a bomb transporter, identified by his ID card. He was excited to become a bomb transporter after he and other minions watched the introduction short of Gru's Lab . Puppy One day, Dave is washing windows when he sees people walking their dogs around the neighborhood. He wants a puppy because of this and tries to leash Kyle , a squirrel, a pigeon, and a ladybug. Though he fails, a Miniature UFO comes along and "abducts" the ladybug. Dave, curious about the new creature, feeds the UFO cheeseballs. The UFO reciprocates and the two bond as owner and pet for a period of time. When the UFO blows up the TV out of anger at a fictional UFO being attacked in a film, Dave and his pet are kicked out by Gru . While stargazing, UFO admits it misses its home, so Dave beams a e-mail to the star system that his pet came from.

Sometime later, the UFO's peers touch down at Gru's neighborhood, and Dave says goodbye to his pet UFO, though not before his pet gives back and enlarges the ladybug it abducted. With this newly huge ladybug, Dave has a new pet to look forward to. Minion Rush Description Standard Minion outfit! Dave is the main protagonist and the default character in the mobile game Despicable Me: Minion Rush . Like Despicable Me , he is overly rambunctious, though unlike the other minions he walked in later and only started getting excited when Gru talks through the loudspeaker to which he asked Dave to settle down. A nearby minion then punches him. Gru announces the Minion of the week to be Paul . Gru then presents the Minion of the Year trophy to which many minions start to fight for. While the other minions squabble amongst themselves, Dave goes away and starts the Minion Rush game for the player. In the game, almost every costumes are created for Dave. AMC Promo Unlike the first two films and Minion Rush, Dave is shown to be a considerate moviegoer who tries to turn off his phone before the movie starts, but an Evil Minion sitting besides him swallows his phone.

The phone then rings and the Evil Minion starts to panic, to which Dave presses his stomach to turn it off. The Evil Minion hugs Dave as the movie starts. Gallery Check out this page's gallery ! Trivia

Question: In which film did the Minions first appear?
Answer: Despicable Me